According to Ding, Jackson met with Lakers brass on Saturday at
his home, and was under the impression that he had two days to
mull over the decision.

When Lakers GMMitch
Kupchak called him at midnight on Sunday, Jackson still
thought that it was his job to turn down.

But it wasn't. Kupchak told a stunned Jackson that they hired
Mike D'Antoni because they felt he was the best fit for the
Lakers. In perfect Phil Jackson fashion, the 11-time
NBA title
winner replied with a understated zinger, "I don't. But
OK."

At this point, we really have no idea what happened between
Jackson and the Lakers.

There's also the personal rivalry between Jackson and Laker exec
Jim
Buss. Ding even mentions the conspiracy theory that Buss
wanted to
"pull the rug out from under" Jackson in an elaborate scheme
for vengeance.

We imagine that more of these anecdotes and details will trickle
out eventually. But right now we just have a single mystery — why
did the Lakers not hire Phil Jackson? — with a lot of conflicting
explanations.